A top security official in U.S. \u200bPresident Donald Trump\u2019s administration resigned over the war in Iran on Tuesday, saying the country had \u200cposed no imminent threat to the United States.Joe Kent, who headed the National Counterterrorism Centre, is the first senior official in Trump\u2019s administration to resign over the conflict, now in its third week. \u201cI cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. \u200bIran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this \u200bwar due to pressure from Israel and its powerful lobby,\u201d Kent wrote in a letter \u2060posted to social media. Some experts have said an imminent threat would be required for the United States to \u200blaunch a war under the international law of war. Kent and the White House did not immediately respond to requests \u200bfor comment. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the counterterrorism centre, also did not immediately respond. KENT KNOWN FOR OPPOSING MILITARY INTERVENTIONS Kent has long been known for his \u201cAmerica First\u201d beliefs and has said he opposes U.S. military interventions abroad. \u00a0 Still, the announcement \u200bcame as a surprise, one U.S. official said. Kent is close with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has \u200bkept a low profile since the Iran war began. Gabbard has not issued any public statements and has only appeared in public \u200cduring \u2060the dignified transfer of American soldiers killed earlier this month during the conflict with Iran. The National Intelligence Council, which is overseen by Gabbard\u2019s office, issued several assessments both before and after the U.S. strikes began that highlighted the risks of U.S. intervention. Those reports indicated the Iranian government was unlikely to collapse and Iran would likely retaliate against U.S. \u200boutposts in the region and \u200bGulf allies, as Reuters \u2060previously reported. Kent has been criticised by Democrats for his associations with far-right figures, and Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said he should \u200bnever have been confirmed to head the counterterrorism office. \u201cBut on this point, he is \u200bright: There was \u2060no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify rushing the United States into another war of choice,\u201d Warner said in a statement. Last year, Kent pushed intelligence analysts, opens new tab to rework an assessment on Tren De Aragua, a \u2060Venezuelan gang, \u200bthat did not support the White House\u2019s argument that Venezuelan President \u200bNicolas Maduro was directing its operations. The administration had portrayed the gang as a security threat to justify its immigration crackdown.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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